CHICAGO — The Knicks showed up on Halloween as a team at full strength. 

It wasn’t a disguise but still felt like a ruse as they were toppled Friday night by the Bulls 135-125, a defeat summarized by a terrible start, a strong third quarter, a poor finish and a defense in the sewer.

Even with Mitchell Robinson and Deuce McBride back in the lineup and everybody available, they trailed for the entirety of the final 39 minutes. 

Coach Mike Brown chastised the defense after allowing at least 35 points in three of the quarters. 

“It’s really simple tonight. We lacked physicality that we wanted to have and we’ve been showing on the defensive end of the floor,” Brown said. “Our ability to guard the basketball was not good in the first half. We were getting blown by possession after possession after possession. And guys were finishing at the rim with no defense there. … Our defense tonight in the first half especially — in the second half it was a little better — was non-existent and it starts with guarding the basketball. We have to guard better, guard the basketball, and it has to be with a sense of physicality because if we don’t teams are going to do exactly what Chicago did on the offensive end of the floor. We lost three in a row, we’ve hit some adversity early in the season. I’m interested to see how we respond.” 

Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) handles the ball during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game against the Chicago Bulls on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. AP

Brown added that the players didn’t follow the game plan, specifically by allowing Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu to go right. Dosunmu finished with 22 points and nine assists on 8-of-10 shooting. 

“I know there were a lot of things game plan-wise that we didn’t adhere to,” Brown said. 

Jalen Brunson agreed. 

“We didn’t have any game-plan discipline. We didn’t do what was asked of us,” Brunson said. “Coach came up with a game plan and it’s on us to deliver. We can’t switch the game plan if we don’t do the game plan hard enough. I don’t know what to say.” 

Still, the Knicks clawed back to cut the deficit to two in the fourth quarter. But their last 3 ¹/₂ minutes were ugly, with the Knicks getting outscored to end the game, 15-9. Karl-Anthony Towns missed three straight wide-open treys in that stretch. He had 22 points with 10 boards. 

Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones, back, guards against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. AP

Brunson couldn’t prevent a third straight loss, recording 29 points while dominating the ball with 25 shots. 

The Knicks (2-3) got nothing again from the bench, which was outscored 53-21 by Chicago’s reserves. Josh Hart continues to look lost and in pain, whether because of his back, or surgically repaired finger. Newcomers Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson were again non-factors. 

“We have to give a little time first before I’m too worried about it, but our bench does have to play better,” Brown said. “We’ve got to knock those shots down or we’ve got to finish at the rim when we get there, or try to get out in transition to try to get a couple of easy [ones] from those guys coming off the bench. Right now we’re not doing any of it.” 

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Undefeated through five games, the Bulls, along with the Sixers, are the big positive surprise of this young season. Josh Giddey finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists Friday and is playing above expectations on a new contract and equipped with the keys to the offense. They’re young and exciting, winning with the style the Knicks desire for themselves but are struggling to find — with ball movement and cutting and pace and efficiency 

The Bulls are who the Knicks want to be. They’re also younger and more athletic. The Knicks had their optimal rotation in place, with Robinson starting at center and McBride as the catalyst off the bench, but it didn’t matter. 

Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks handles the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on October 31, 2025 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NBAE via Getty Images

The loss capped an ugly 0-3 road trip for the Knicks, who play Chicago again Sunday at MSG. The defeat was also part of the NBA Cup, meaning Mike Brown’s team faces an uphill climb to advance out of its group. 

But the Knicks also have bigger things to worry about than Adam Silver’s in-season tournament. 

“This adversity is a great test for us,” Brown said. “It’s early but it’s a great test for us and I’m looking to see what type of resiliency we have as a group.”